Social Security Scotland: our charter

A people's service

We are here to help you get everything you're entitled to.

Social Security Scotland and the Scottish Government will:

1. be patient, kind and consider how you might feel

2. listen to you, trust you and treat you as an individual

3. treat everyone equally, fairly and without discrimination

4. support you through your application, keeping you updated and explaining what will happen and why

5. ensure staff are knowledgeable about social security to help you get what you're entitled to

6. refer you to independent advice and support if you want extra help with your application or appeal. You are also entitled to ask someone that you know to support you.

7. make decisions in a way that is consistent and accurate – and aim to get them right first time

8. be honest, provide clear reasons for decisions and explain what to do if you disagree

9. pay you on time in the right amount

10. refer you to other organisations, services or forms of help where they could help improve your wellbeing or financial circumstances

11. tell you if we think you might be entitled to benefits not delivered by Social Security Scotland

12. recruit people who care about delivering a service based on equality, respect, dignity and human rights

13. involve people with diverse lived experiences of social security and the organisations that represent them in training staff.

Please help us by:

1. treating staff with dignity, fairness and respect

2. telling us if you have particular access or cultural needs - we'll do our best to meet them

3. giving us the information we need to help you and telling us if something changes that might affect your entitlement

4. telling us about any problems with getting this information that we might be able to help with

5. telling us how you feel about the service. We always want to get better and your ideas can help us do that.